The Heat from Her Skin
by revvangrey
Summary: An excerpt from a late evening's dream. But who is the dreamer? (HwSS Omake series) (Twice with a Mackerel . . . )
1. Heat from Her Skin

**The Heat from Her Skin**

**I do not own the RAILDEX universe.**

Author's Note:

An excerpt from a late evening's Dream.

But who is the dreamer?

A short diversion from within the 'He Will Surely Save' continuity.

Please enjoy.

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_Cold._

How could it possibly be so _cold_?

The slender girl wearing the witch's hat rubbed her arms with her hands and glared out with her one eye into the void where she seemed to be contained. Where it should have been dark, it was bright.

The space was unreadable, like a great bank of fog back lit by the sun and she could feel nothing from it. Yet there was still that ugly feeling welling up inside of her. It was the feeling of being watched.

"_Poor little girl . . . "_

She clenched her fists and glanced about, seeking the source of the voice.

"_How lonely it must be . . . "_

The blonde girl turned to the left and brought up a hand.

"_He is so kind, isn't he? Never once taking the steps to crush you, even when it would be so easy . . ."_

The voice appeared again, this time behind her. She twisted around to face it.

"_He is the master of this world. I am just his humble servant . . . "_

She swore she could see something shimmering in the distance. A strange inexplicable patch of something . . .

"_And yet, I know you very well. From the darkness of ignorance and superstition you gain your power."_

She was beginning to make out a form. The girl let out a breath and felt the tide of mana welling up within her. A power that dwarfed the combined power of every magician and spellcaster in the world since time immemorial.

"_But just as darkness is the absence of light, ignorance is the the absence of knowing . . . "_

The girl's body went rigid and pitched forward, the blood she vomited spilling from her lips as her arms clenched her torso. She stumbled to her knees.

"_The fears of every living person give you strength, but I am so far beyond that . . . "_

She shook as her hands held her body off the ground. The blood dripping from her eyes and nose made a nearly silent pattern of almost musical sounds as it landed below her.

"_I take their hopes . . ."_

The footsteps began.

"_Their dreams . . . "_

They moved slowly in her direction.

"_Their desires to exceed themselves . . . "_

Moving closer.

"_Even you."_

Ever closer.

"_Your power is just one small part of my own."_

The footsteps stopped. The girl became aware of a pair of legs before her, clad in blue slacks.

"I'm willing to lose that part."

The girl looked up into a handsome face. Holding those eyes. Her head pitched forward as she felt her body heave. Those eyes were not human. They were something else, something so terrible that even she could have never imagined it before that moment.

"To the darkness you bring to this world . . ."

She shivered as the hand briefly caressed her bloodstained cheek.

"I."

The fingers curled under her chin.

"Bring."

She felt them pulling her face upwards. Those eyes locked onto her's, cutting into whatever part of soul she had left. The tears from her eyes were no longer blood.

"_Light._"

**. . .**

At that moment, a man resting in a tube of blood red fluid flinched and began to look around. Was this fear? How could it be?

"Teacher? What is this?" The voice of one that could be mistaken for a devil or a saint called out. "Has it begun?"

"It has not begun, dear student." A voice from somewhere unknown responded.

"_It has always been."_

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**Author's Note:**

Who is having this dream? Sogiita? Othinus? Aleister? All of them? Someone else entirely?

Is any of this even true?!

Perhaps a dream is just a dream . . .

Obviously, this Sogiita is my post-chapter 6 HwSS Sogiita, rather than the canon one. Since this is intended to be a dream, take what is said with a grain of salt.

This particular little omake came to me one morning after reading the teaser description for NT 9, but before the story itself had been translated (~1/7/14 at 10:30am according to open office . . . ). I intended it to be a 'back door' plot in case the canon story line diverged outside of my plans for my future stories. After reading NT 9, my future plans would still work without major revision, so all was well.

I will probably keep this omake as 'incomplete' in case I come up with any other interesting one shots during the sequel run. Who knows . . . .

:::::Future Plans ::::::

Originally, I had never intended to release this story, but since this site frowns upon extended author's notes as new chapters, I decided to release it to give everyone an idea of the format that the sequels to _He will Surely Save_ are going to take.

At the moment, there are three parts to the story:

_He will Surely Save_ \- - - Part two - - - Part three.

The first two parts of the story occur between the events of NT 7 and NT8, the time line assumed to be a month between the canon stories to fit my own stories in. Part three will probably occur between NT 10 and NT 11 (provided there is one). I have a beginning for part three, but the ending has not been created.

My reason for 'ending' HwSS and starting sequels is rather simple. My plans for Part two require me to break the story into three concurrent parts: Part 2(A-C). Their chapters will be shorter, but they can then be updated (collectively) every week or two.

Part 2A: The story will focus on the three girls who Misaki asked Seria to hide from the General. The General herself and Facade will also be important here. Begins the Friday of Saten's scan and ends the Saturday that Touma is to be released from the hospital, most of the chapters will cover half a day's time.

Part 2B: The young woman eavesdropping on Sogiita outside Touma's room will find herself at odds with an OC, generously lent to me by another author. Begins the Saturday of Touma's many visits and ends the Saturday of Touma's release, each chapter will be its own day.

Part 2C: The actions of the level fives will be the focus here. Uiharu's search for Mairo as well. Begins the Monday following the Saturday of Touma's visits and will continue until that Friday, three chapters for each day's time.

They will all be interconnected, so references in one story may apply to another.

See you all then!

Now, lets get writing!


	2. Matchsticks

**The Heat from Her Skin, part two: Matchsticks**

**I do not own the RAILDEX universe**

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They were looking at her funny.

She knew this. Each time their eyes glanced in her direction, she could feel it making a slight pricking sensation on her skin. She payed it no mind, they were all so far beneath her that she was reminded of gnats. Irritating certainly, but not the least bit worth the effort of dealing with.

She shifted the witch's hat crowning the waterfall of blonde hair flowing from her head into a more comfortable position and focused on the checkered pattern of the tablecloth in front of her.

Drawing slow breaths, she pulled matchsticks out, one at a time, from a small box bearing the name of the tiny café where she had found herself. When each one was drawn, she snapped it in two parts and placed the pieces in neat little rows in line with the pattern of the cloth beneath them.

It seemed random . . .

She looked over these rows and glared at them with one snakelike green eye, before she shuddered and pulled the cup of tea closer to herself.

A young man wearing slacks and a sweater vest took his seat and gazed across the table.

"What confidence you have . . . " The boy grinned and cracked his knuckles before continuing. "To start something that has no hope of success. I envy that."

The girl growled quietly as her hand gripped a loose edge of the tablecloth hard enough to tear it. Slowly tilting her head back up, she muttered with venom underpinning every word.

"You really don't know who you're dealing with, do you?"

The boy tapped his fingers against the hard edge of the table and drew them along the gentle curve. He let out a gentle chuckle as he did so.

"I get the feeling that I'm walking down a road that will never fork . . . ."

The blonde felt a sharp corner digging into the delicate skin of her wrist and removed her hand from the table, letting it hang limply beside her.

"No matter what I choose, all this will come to an end." An acidic smile crossed her lips. "I promise you that."

The boy sighed and looked down for a moment, as though he was trying to catch his eyes in the reflection.

"Unnecessary pain. How sickening." He drew the hair away from his eyes with his fingers. "Nostalgia has always been the downfall of the previous generation."

The one-eyed witch slammed a fist down on the table, she watched as her tea splashed out of the cup and left a blossoming taupe colored stain that stood out in sharp relief against the checkered pattern of the cloth.

"Those who look down on me . . . " She hissed through her clenched teeth as she placed the teacup upright again. "Will find themselves cut down to a size where they can look me directly in the eye."

The boy folded his hands on the table in front of him. The smile on his lips was unsettling and warm at the same time.

"Can you tell me what hope is?" He canted his head to the side. "Is it just something hidden in a box somewhere?"

The girl scowled as she lowered her eyes and silently tugged at the fringe of cloth overhanging the edge of the table.

The boy flinched briefly when a cup filled with a foamy liquid was shoved into his line of vision.

"Here, quad-shot café latte with extra biscotti." The new boy muttered with an irritated tone as he placed the cups down on the shiny dark wood surface of the round mahogany table "Who the hell were you talking to anyway?"

"Nobody important, Haratani-san." The boy in the sweater vest calmly picked up his cup and gave it a gentle sip.

"_Nobody important at all . . . ._"

**. . . .**

The blonde girl gripped the hard corners of the table through the checkered cloth covering it. She shook for a moment when a voice from the side broke her concentration.

"Hey Othinus, are you okay?"

The one-eyed blonde turned her head to look at the silvery-haired young woman with dark skin sitting on the black cylinder a short distance away. "You have been spacing out for a while now"

"Shut up and rot!"

The silver-haired girl nodded and addressed the black cylinder below her.

"Yep, she's fine . . . "

She felt herself grinning when she felt the object rattle in agreement.

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**Author's note:**

Yes, dear readers, the inspiration has struck and we now have a second part to _The Heat from Her Skin_.

Unlike the other three sequels to _He will Surely Save_, this story does not have a defined plot in my mind. That being the case, updates will be sporadic and only loosely connected to each other and the other sequels. If Othinus is going to show up in my story, expect it to be here.

If it's not obvious in the end, the two of them are sitting at different tables in completely different cafés. Note the descriptions of the tables as each one speaks. Are they really speaking to each other, or just to themselves?

Until the next update,

Lets get writing!

.


	3. With Love

The Heat from Her Skin, part three: With Love

I do not own the RAILDEX universe

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A spiky-haired young man restlessly tossed and turned on his bed in the quiet room of the hospital that had been assigned to him. He gripped the sheets as he muttered barely audible words in his sleep.

"_You perverted nurses . . . that's no place for a sponge . . . _"

Touma's hand briefly clenched at the side of his face for a moment before it fell back to his side. The sweat dripping from his forehead rolled down and soaked into his pillow as he turned his head to the other side.

"_I was clean an __**hour**__ ago . . . . Such misfortune . . . ._"

The boy shivered in his sleep when a soft piece of cloth was drawn over his forehead to mop up the sweat that had been pooling there.

Half-awake, the young man reluctantly forced open his eyes when the sensation of a hand being gently drawn down the length of his body teased his senses just enough to pull him from his dream. Try as he might, his eyes couldn't focus in time to make out the identity of the individual that passed behind the privacy curtain and disappeared from sight.

He waited for the sound of the sliding door to open.

_Silence._

He waited for a moment longer and let out a tentative voice.

"Juuniko-san?"

No reply.

After several moments of waffling, he finally chose to take matters into his own hands. He reached out and gave the privacy curtain a yank. As it bunched up against the wall, Touma darted his eyes back and forth, but the concealed half of the small room was empty and the door beyond was closed.

He shook his head in disbelief for a moment before an object on the bedside table caught his eye. He turned to find a small toy bear had been placed upon it as he slept.

Touma reached over and picked up the small yellow bear to more closely examine it. The bear was decked out with a pointy black hat seated on its head and a tiny leather eye patch over one eye. The other eye glittered like a gem filled with liquid emerald fire.

There was a tiny note tied to one of its paws.

Touma turned the note over to read it and blinked in confusion as he saw the words printed there.

_Get well soon, boy._

_A girl can't wait forever._

He sat frozen for several moments until he silently placed the bear back on the bedside table and slowly lowered himself back down onto the pillow beneath him. He rubbed his eyes as he muttered.

"Kamijo Touma, you unlucky idiot . . . just stop thinking."

He squeezed his head between his hands for a moment before letting out a long sigh.

"_Seriously, don't even go there . . . . "_

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**Author's Note:**

Touma never stops wondering why he is the only patient in the hospital that needs a sponge bath every two hours . . . .

Until next time . . . .

Lets get writing!


	4. Awaiting Further Orders

**The Heat from Her Skin, part 4: Awaiting Further Orders**

**I do not own the RAILDEX universe.**

**Author's note:**

Hey all,

Just a little something to prove that I'm still (mostly) alive.

Work is going to be a bear for the next few weeks, so expect updates to be sporadic at best for a little while. I have a few more ideas for _Heat . . ._ so I'll put those out in the meantime.

I look forward to continuing my stories when things cool off a bit, so hang in there.

Also expect more Touma!

Enjoy!

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The destruction within the empty lot was nearly unimaginable.

He lay motionless within it, fragile and delicate.

Broken.

Twisted metal and shattered rock lay strewn about in a pattern of what could be called almost sublime beauty. A deconstruction of the world, rather than the building of a new one. Or at least that is what it may have appeared to be from the viewpoint of an outside observer.

In truth, this was a new world.

The glassy open eyes of the pale boy on the ground stared out into that world, but they saw nothing.

The pale shade of skin was marked with bruises and cuts. The white hair on his head matted in places with rapidly drying blood. His body had gone limp, without even a spasm in those frail muscles to suggest the semblance of life to which the boy so tenuously clung.

Above this broken young man, another stood.

His body battered and simple uniform torn and dirty. His right hand clenched into a fist held perfectly still at his side.

Spiky black hair was matted to his head by sweat and below that a face which was devoid of emotion even as he looked down at the albino boy motionless on the ground beneath him.

The glowing green goggles hiding his eyes cast eerie twisted shadows over his surroundings as he slowly raised his face towards the sky.

The boy's lips eventually parted to release a flat voice into the world.

"Kamijo 00001, reporting to Exterior."

The boy's head tilted from one side to the other as he paused for a moment.

"_The outcome of the first experiment was not as predicted. Awaiting further orders."_

_**. . . .**_

With a gasp, the eyes of Academy City's number one level five burst open.

He clenched at his chest and took a deep breath as he sat up in bed.

After a few moments he finally muttered to himself in the dark.

"Well, at least _that_ dream was better than the last one . . . ."

Accelerator shuddered in revulsion before letting his body fall back onto the bed, his head landing heavily on the pillow.

"Alright, lets add this to the list then . . . " The boy growled to himself as he covered his eyes with his hands.

"One: stop drinking coffee before bed. Two: _smack_ that miffing **Hero** upside the head next time I see him!"

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**Author's Note:**

The dream that Accelerator is referring to is the Touma/Yuriko dream in HwSS.

Now, I _know_ that I'm not the first to have this idea for a story, but I can't remember who wrote it first . . . .

In my case, it started as an idea for an AU story some time ago, before I started writing the current HwSS saga.

In this AU story, I had these ideas:

Radio Noise was successful enough to not be converted over to the Level Six shift. Therefore, Last Order was never created (possibly?) and Full Tuning (The General in my stories) maintains control over the sisters.

The Kamijo brothers do not possess Imagine Breaker (obviously). They are level 3 precognitive espers, which seemed a likely power for Touma to have otherwise. They share memories with each other using Exterior.

Unlike Mikoto, Touma has been a street brawler for many years, so his brothers would also maintain this mentality, along with their acquired martial arts and military training. With this in mind, the first thing a brother would consider a logical first step in attacking an unknown individual would be hand-to-hand combat.

The combination of precognition, battle reflexes and Accelerator's auto-redirection accidentally turned the fight into a Kihara Amata situation and Touma 00001 beat Accelerator into a brain damaged state. The Level Six shift gets canceled after only a few Touma clones are produced.

Accelerator gets linked into Radio Noise to get his powers back just like in the cannon series. Or possibly to a Misaki Clone network (I recall a story like that, it's a good premise), creating two competing networks at odds with each other. Radio Noise vs. the Under Mind. Something like that.

We are then left with the problem of getting Accelerator to grow as a person . . . .

What to do? Save the sisters from the General? Save Febli or Fremea from their situations? Does the Level Six shift switch over to Kakine? Would that involve the Misaka, Misaki, or Touma clones?

Obviously again, several parts of this AU story were inspired by elements of other already existing stories, so the concept was abandoned for now. Maybe some other time . . .

Until the next chapter,

Let's get writing!


	5. A Vision of the Apocalypse

**The Heat From Her Skin, part 6: A Vision of the Apocalypse **

**I do not own the RAILDEX universe.**

In reading the final words of NT 8, This was the first thing that popped into my head back then . . .

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" _. . . I think I'll just end the world."_

Those were the words that had passed her lips.

He wasn't certain if he had truly believed her when she said it, but right now he knew the truth.

A young man called Kamijo stood motionless in the enveloping darkness and shuddered as the cold soaked into his skin. After some time, he finally lowered his eyes to look at his shivering right hand.

His gaze remained locked onto it when he finally found his voice and muttered out into the darkness.

"Why am I holding shaved ice?" He turned his face to the side and found a blonde girl in a pointed hat standing next to him, digging into her own blood-red cone. "It's the middle of December isn't it?"

"Just shut up and eat it." The blonde witchy girl grabbed his wrist and started to drag the bewildered boy past a series of vendors' stalls. "You're taking me on the Ferris wheel next."

The dim carnival lights drew strange shadows of colors across the boy's face as he stumbled along, unable to break the petite girl's iron grip. At last he could contain himself no further.

"This isn't the Apocalypse I envisioned . . . "

"_Shut up._"

**. . . .**

Three individuals were seated around a small round table, quietly sipping tea, when the scream from the nearby bedroom nearly resulted in a group spit take. They collectively turned to the door of the room and waited for any further outbursts.

When none came, the blond young man with the appearance of a lightening god shook his head and muttered at the silver haired young woman seated across from him at the table.

"You know, for a borderline all-powerful magical god . . . " He gestured at the half-open door with his thumb. "She sure wakes up screaming an awful lot."

"Heh . . . ." The silver haired smirked and tugged the strap on her overalls. "How much you wanna bet that she's dreaming about that boy again?"

The girl reached over and tapped the top of the black cylinder seated on the floor next to her and smiled broadly as it rattled in apparent agreement.

"**SHUT UP!**"

The surprisingly girlish shriek from the bedroom was immediately followed by a blur of yellow and black, which struck the blond boy in the face before falling gracefully into his lap.

The one with the appearance of a thunder god looked down and blinked in confusion at the sight which greeted him. A mini-Othinus teddy bear?

"I was right." The silver haired girl grinned and crossed her arms over her chest. "Now pay up."

"I didn't agree to anything, so bug off."

The blond boy scowled and picked up the yellow bear wearing an eye patch and tiny witch's hat to scrutinize it more closely. After a moment, he shook his head and placed in on the table. The girl in overalls pulled it over to her side of the table and hugged it beneath her chin, leering at the boy all the while.

"You know . . . ." The boy gritted his teeth for a moment.

"_I'm starting to really hate that bear for some reason."_

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**Author's Note:**

Just a little bit of foe yay makeout fluff for your reading pleasure.

Interesting fact: this was actually the very first idea I had considered for _The Heat from Her Skin, _before this one-shot series took on its current name.


	6. Pineapple Marmalade

**The Heat from her Skin, Part Five: Pineapple Marmalade**

**I do not own the RAILDEX universe**

**Author's Note:**

Just a little gift for the holidays and the new year . . . .

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She sat silently in the booth of an anonymous family restaurant as she adjusted her abnormally showy dress before drawing the blonde coils of her hair behind her left ear. A delicate hand picked up a well-done piece of toast from the plate in front of her and carried it slowly to her waiting lips, eyes falling closed in anticipation.

The delicate crunching sound teased the air as she sank her teeth into it, the nuttiness of the bread complimented by the creamy richness of butter and subtly bitter tanginess of the golden fruit spread covering it. A sigh of pleasure escaped her as her tongue drew across her lips to capture any wayward crumbs.

"I'm surprised you wanted me to take you here of all places . . ."

The girl in the dress opened her eyes to smirk at the middle-aged man in the slightly shabby business suit seated across from her. "I'm sure your wallet isn't complaining in the least. Right~"

"No . . ." The older man scratched at the stubble on his lower cheek. "I'm just saying is all . . . "

With a flirty wink, she took another bite and munched loudly for a moment.

"Sometimes a girl gets the urge to experience something real." She drew her napkin across her lips and returned it to her lap. "I'm sure you understand that."

"About as much as I understand the needs of any woman."

The girl in the dress sent him a sickly sweet grin.

"How refreshingly . . . honest . . . of . . . you . . . ." Her voice trailed off as her smile left her face with each passing word. Her eyes were focused over the older man's shoulder, leading him to follow her now distracted gaze in that direction, but he saw nothing other than the blank wall behind him.

"Something wrong?" He waved his hand in her face causing her head to jerk backwards.

The girl stood up and snatched her purse, sending a grin that reminded the man of a cat that was holding a still living mouse in its paws. He shivered.

"Would you excuse me for a moment?" The girl fluttered her fingers as she walked towards the restaurant's entrance. "I need to make a phone call. Keep the fires burning, sweetie~"

The older man in the shabby business clothes planted his elbows on the table in front of him and started to rub his forehead.

"_Best 100,000 yen you'll ever spend, they said_ . . . " He muttered under his breath. "**I****diot**."

**. . . .**

The girl in the dress brushed through the door and turned a tight corner down the adjacent alley, a

bounce in each step as she passed deeper into the passageway following a familiar sense of heat. Her heart was thumping in her chest when she finally reached a dead end. She slowly turned in place once before stopping suddenly with a smile as she locked her eyes on a section of blank wall.

"Your heart . . . ." She placed a hand on her chest and sighed. "I can feel it so very close. Such a tiny distance even after all this time . . ."

"But it's pulling away, even now." She frowned and gently hugged her stomach, shifting her weight to one foot to emphasize the curve of one hip. "That hurts."

With a practiced grace, she sashayed closer to the wall and touched a section just above chest height, feeling the roughness of the masonry beneath her fingers. She brought her hand back to her face and touched her lips, releasing a gentle purr.

"Your heart." Her eyes narrowed over her flushed cheeks. "_Show it to me._"

From the spot in front of her face, razor sharp ribbons of white erupted out of the wall under her penetrating gaze. A soft moan escaped her lips as they slashed at the alley all around her, leaving finger deep scratches in every surface. The resulting breeze from the display of violence was fluttering her dress in every direction as she threw her head back, drawing her hands over the skin of her neck up to her face. She licked her lips and smiled up at the sky with eyes that seemed to be glowing.

Without warning, those razor sharp ribbons stopped their violent motion, leaving the alley filled with an intricate web of glass-like shards of white tendrils

"You still can't bring yourself to do it, can you?" She flushed a still deeper shade of red as her fingers drew themselves over her cheeks. "I miss all those silly little ways you show your love, my sweet angel of death~"

The tendrils filling the alley erupted into a cloud of white smoke. The girl blinked and watched as a pure white boy formed from the cloud, his slender back leaning against the wall. He scowled with narrowed eyes glowing green in the dim light. His voice was barely above a whisper.

"Why do you come here?" The girl wiggled her hips a bit as she slid her hands through her hair. "Why do you hang around?"

The boy leaned forwards as his fists began to clench at his sides. Her smile only brightened in response.

"When you _know_ you make things hard for me."

The girl in the flashy dress strolled up to the boy and placed her hands on the wall behind him.

"You don't pick up your phone anymore."

He pulled his head back, putting distance between their faces.

"I lost it." He shifted his eyes away from the girl planted in front of him. "I haven't bothered getting a new one yet."

She let out a tiny whine and pushed her body a little closer to his

"Such a pity . . ." The girl directed a singing whisper into his ear. "You used to love my silly notes~"

He ignored the sweet sensation of her warm breath on his unearthly white skin. "I never said anything like that."

She let out a giggle, reminding him of a chorus of tiny bells.

"You didn't have to." The girl slid the fingers of one hand down the side of the level five's body stopping at his waist. "I always knew."

The pure white boy placed his hands on her shoulders and gently pusher her away to arms' length.

"People change."

The girl frowned and glanced out of the alley. She fixed her eyes on the second story of the multipurpose building across the street from them. She turned back and raised her chin.

"Is she really so much better?"

The boy leaned forward to stare her dead in the eyes, squeezing her shoulders with an iron grip tight enough to make the girl wince.

"_She's everything you are not._"

The level five disintegrated soundlessly, leaving the girl in the flashy dress alone in the alley. She let out a deep breath, venting a little frustration.

"So cold, as usual." She touched her lips as a flush crossed her cheeks. "And so close, too. Level Fives are always such awful teases, aren't they?"

The girl in the flashy dress let out a smooth giggle and turned to leave the alley, every step realized as a feline strut. As she turned the corner to return to the restaurant, she nearly ran into a scowling pale-faced boy with a futuristic looking cane standing outside the door. She grinned when her eyes caught sight of the chocker around his neck.

The boy looked her over for a moment before tapping his cane against the ground, releasing a growl directly into her face.

"What are you looking at?" His red eyes narrowed when the girl's grin widened even further. "You have a problem, brat?"

The girl crossed her arms under her chest and leaned forward slightly.

"Well . . ." She gave the pale boy a wink. "I could be _your_ problem if you're interested, sweetie~"

He wrinkled his nose and turned his head to spit on the sidewalk. When he turned his head back he found that she had taken a small step closer to him. He stumbled back slightly before catching himself.

He brought up his free hand and poked his index finger into the middle of her face. "Go eff yourself, princess."

"Now, now . . . that'll cost extra."

The boy looked like he was about to start shouting when the door to the restaurant opened behind him. A loud voice erupted from inside making him flinch.

"Hah! Look at that!" A high school aged girl with malicious eyes cackled and pointed at the girl in the dress. "Tou-san is trying to pick up chicks now!"

Just as he opened his mouth to retort, a small brown haired girl smashed into the boy's back and began to strike at him.

"Whaa! Misaka won't accept yet another yellow-headed sister rival in her life 'cries Misaka as Misaka hammers her tiny fists against your back in a disproportional and borderline comical rage in terror at the thought'."

The girl in the showy dress placed her hands on her cheeks. "That's not a very nice thing to say about your new 'Onee-sama', sweetie~"

"Hope you're up to it, Tou-san." The taller brown-haired girl poked the pale boy in the cheek. "This one looks expensive to Misaka~"

With the little patience he had finally broken, he grabbed one of the little girl's flailing wrists and pulled her to his side. He threw his head back and bellowed at his current company.

"Both of you just shut up so we can go home!" His head snapped forward to glare at the girl blocking his path. "Now get the meff out of our way or I'll launch you into the nearest river!"

He roughly brushed past the girl in a dress, who obligingly moved aside. Her smile didn't waver as she watched the strange trio disappear into the distance.

"Dear me . . . " She laid a finger beside her chin and tilted her head to the side. "I seem to have found myself yet another toy to play with~"

She sighed and briefly drew her finger over the subtle redness of her cheek.

"What is a girl to do?"

The sharp clicking of her heels on the pavement accompanied her retreat as she turned and re-entered the family restaurant, the closing door cutting short that final unnerving giggle.

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**Author's Note:**

Beetle-san finds himself in a slithery bit of UST with the Girl in the Dress while she indulges her old hobbies. . . .

I can't stop picturing Accelerator and The Girl in the Dress on a (tense / awkward) date of some kind. I wonder how the Beetle would react to that situation . . . ?

The initial dialog between Kakine and The Girl references the lyrics of the song 'Suedehead' by Morrissey. Because reasons.

Finally, if it wasn't obvious, the Girl was having toast with pineapple marmalade at the family restaurant before her ulterior motives became clear.


	7. Twice with a Mackerel

**The Heat from her Skin, Chapter 7: Twice With a Mackerel**

**I do not own the RAILDEX universe**

**Author Note:**

The breaking of the Hiatus is in its slow progression from nothing into something.

We have a short one-shot recounting events that occurred during the HwSS events of Wednesday, when Kakine met with the alleged Number Six.

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Kamijou was currently incredulous, standing in the middle of the local park with palms facing the sky.

"My phone?" He passed his gaze between the pair standing in front of him. On the right was a petite girl wearing a Judgment armband and a field of flowers on her head. To the left, stood an unearthly looking teenage boy, a living mass of some oily white substance that Touma didn't really want to think too hard about. "What could _you_ of all people possibly need _my_ phone for!?"

"It's not like I'm planning on ordering takeout or something!" The white boy looked irritated. "I need to make a phone call."

Touma had turned his back away from his friends and now stood cradling his cell phone to his chest like a mother protecting her infant child from a vicious stray dog. He yelled over his shoulder. "Are you telling me that a level five doesn't have his own cell phone?!"

"I lost my phone back when I got turned into this." The boy pointed to his pure white body with a scowl. "I haven't really needed a phone up until now, so I've been putting off getting a new one."

The pure white boy then crossed his arms over his chest and turned his head to the side, speaking through clenched teeth. "Also, picture in your head what would have happened if I walked into a phone store looking like this . . . ."

Uiharu reached over and gave Kakine's shoulder a little squeeze as Touma turned back around with a sheepish expression newly written on his face.

"Yeah, I can see the problem . . . " The misfortune magnet gestured at the petite computer hacker in their midst. "But, I don't understand why you can't just borrow Uiharu-san's phone. Why does it have to be mine?"

"I need to call Hamazura and you're the only person I know who isn't in ITEM that has his phone number." Kakine pointed to the girl standing next to him, currently poking away at her mini-computer. "We tried finding it in the database, but it isn't listed."

"He's probably using a cracked phone." The flowery girl raised her head. "Since he's a friend of yours, I'm willing to overlook it this time . . . "

"That's the Judgment spirit!" The white boy reached over and scrubbed the girl's head with his hand, ruffling her hair until she ducked out of his range.

"Beetle-san!" The tiny girl began to swat at his hand. "I just got it the way I like it!"

The white boy began to slowly approach her again with a playful expression and fluttering fingers at the ready. "But you look so good as a jungle girl . . . ."

"Kyaa!" Uiharu giggled as the pair began to tussle in front of the increasingly uncomfortable Imagine Breaker. "Beetle-san!"

The third wheel of the party frantically waved his hands to get the attention of the other two.

"Oi." The playful pair froze in a comical position. "Have you guys forgotten about me over here or something?"

The boy and girl as one immediately turned back to face him, standing with equally stiff faces and ramrod straight postures. They answered him in a strident unison.

"**What are you implying!?**"

Touma jumped back with enough force for both of his feet to skid backwards slightly when he landed.

"Nothing, geez!"

He placed his hands on his chest and took a deep breath. After a few moments he looked back up and found that they had calmed back down, abet with eyes now cast in opposite directions . . . .

"Alright, fine . . . " They seemed confused for a moment. "I'll lend you my cell phone for the day."

The faces of the boy and girl lit up with grins, that just as quickly fell to confused expressions when he held up a finger at them.

"I have two conditions, though."

The boy and girl across from him shared a glance before leaning forwards in anticipation.

"First." He pointed at his wrist despite not wearing a watch. "I want it returned to me undamaged by this time tomorrow."

The white boy raised an eyebrow when he heard this.

"_Kamijou_. I hope you realize that between the two of us, I'm far less likely to destroy your phone than _you_ are." He placed a fist on his hip and let out a short breath. "But, fair enough. What's the second condition?"

Kamijou pointed at the screen of his phone.

"I've signed up for text messages from grocery stores announcing special sales." He nodded at Kakine. "I'd like you to keep me informed on any that come up while you have my phone."

Kakine and Uiharu stood blinking for a moment before the white boy finally responded.

"Alrighty . . . ." He reached over and accepted the phone from Touma with a nod. "How many stores did you sign up for, anyway?"

"All of them."

Uiharu and Kakine each jumped up on one leg with their hands held in front of themselves like they had just seen a ghost. They shrieked in unison.

"_ALL OF THEM!?_"

The misfortune magnet struck a dramatic pose as he lifted his fist to his chin.

"And they laughed when I asked for unlimited text messaging." His friends' jaws dropped as he yelled up at the sky with a manic expression. "But who's laughing now!?"

The pair started backing away slightly.

"Kamijou, you have a problem."

Touma crossed his arms and locked them with a narrowed gaze.

"If level fives destroyed _your_ eggs as often as _mine_, you wouldn't be saying that."

"I suppose I wouldn't . . . ." The white boy began tugging Uiharu's arm towards the park's exit. "Now if you excuse us, we have to go . . . ."

Touma watched as the level five dragged the tiny Judgment girl out of the park as quickly as he could make her. He let out a small sigh.

"_Such misfortune._"

**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . **

Having left our misfortunate hero behind, the pure white boy maintained his brisk clip along the path until the floral-equipped Judgment girl tired of being dragged behind him and gasped out in protest.

"You seem like you're in a hurry, Beetle-san!" He stopped and released her arm at which point she began to rub some feeling back into her wrist. "Do you have an appointment or something?"

Kakine scowled to himself and nodded.

"Nothing that I'm looking forward to . . . " The boy gestured vaguely towards the east. "I'm supposed to be in a different park at 10am today."

Uiharu checked the time on her phone and looked back up. "It's after ten right now. Are you going to be okay?"

The level five looked off to the side into the distance for a moment and then turned his head back again.

"It's fine. I have one of my beetles on guard and the park is empty." The white boy gritted his teeth and muttered off to the side. "The jerk just wants to make me wait."

"Well, I need to get back to the Judgment office myself anyway" Uiharu gently shook her phone. "Shirai-san is meeting me outside the park in fifteen minutes."

Kakine's eyes glazed over briefly.

"I'll probably hightail it before then . . . " The sound of Uiharu's ringing phone broke into the pure white boy's reverie. "Phone."

Uiharu checked the caller id and brought the phone to her ear with a smile brightening her face. "It's Saten-san!"

Uiharu saw the white boy flashing a brief grin as the call connected. Her chipper voice echoed slightly through the park.

"Hello sleepy-san!"

" _. . . "_

"Sorry, I already ate. I would just come over, but Shirai-san needs me at the office."

" _. . . "_

"I assume so . . . . She said it was urgent!"

" _. . . "_

"Probably. We should have breakfast together tomorrow!"

" _. . . "_

"No Problem. I'll see you then, Saten-san!"

As Uiharu ended the call, she spied a mischievous expression on her companion's face.

"Breakfast with Saten . . . " He stood tapping his chin in deep concentration. "And a phone to return to Kamijou. I have much to think about."

"Beetle-san?"

The white boy jerked and sent her a broad grin. "Nothing at all, Uiharu-san . . . "

The girl pouted and narrowed her eyes. The boy only continued to grin at her until Kamijou's phone began ringing in his hand. Uiharu saw his face grow dark as he checked the ID.

" . . . Accelerator." The dark expression lingered for another moment before a playful one took its place. He turned to his companion. "Check this out."

The Judgment girl's eyes grew wide in astonishment as the level five answered the phone with the voice of a certain spiky-haired boy replacing his own.

"Misfortune Unlimited and Associates!" The girl's jaw had dropped as the jaunty voice rang out into the park. "President and founder Kamijou Touma speaking. How may I help you today?"

"_What the hell is this? Some sort of fad you miffing heroes are into now or something?" _

"They had eggs on sale today." Kakine heard the boy on the other end of the line sigh. "So what's up? Trouble on your end?"

The number one level five let out a grunt before responding.

"_Define trouble. The little brat has been bugging me to invite you and the little blonde brat over for a tea party this weekend or something stupid like that . . . "_

Kakine grinned to himself. "And yet, you're calling to invite me."

"_Meh. The oversized brat didn't seem to want you to come over. I couldn't think of a better reason to call than that."_

"That so . . . ?"

"_So are you in or what?"_

Without warning the pure white boy returned to the use of his own natural voice. "It sounds like fun. I'll be certain to attend."

"_You bastard!"_ Kakine winched a little at the other level five's sudden increase in volume. _"What have you done with that idiot!?"_

"Never mind Kamijou, you're talking to me now."

The number one's voice turned dangerously flat.

"_Tell me where he is."_

The white boy was smiling so broadly he was almost shining in the sun. "You're pretty riled up about this . . . you plotting a rescue effort now or something?"

" _. . . ."_

"You really are!" The white boy's eyes lit up as he began to shake his unoccupied fist in front of himself. "You think I kidnapped Kamijou and now you want to come and save him!"

"_When I find you, you blasted ivory bastard . . . "_

"That is so _adorable_, I just want to slap you twice with a mackerel." Kakine was nearly bouncing in delight as he listened to Accelerator growling on the other end of the line. "So . . . are you two going to date for a while or get married and start a family right away?"

"_**#$% %^!**" _

The pure white level five jerked the phone away from his head when the sound of the number one spewing bile was interrupted by a loud crash and the sound of crunching and static. Most likely the other boy was stomping on the phone. Kakine pressed the end button with a broad flourish of his other hand, ending the call.

"Beetle-san . . . " The boy turned to see a concerned look on his companion's face. "Aren't you supposed to meet with the number one tomorrow?"

"I couldn't resist." Uiharu pouted and shook her head. He continued, rubbing his chin in a thoughtful gesture. "And, it's usually better if I catch him off guard anyway"

"If you say so . . . "

"Aw, don't get all worried on me now . . . " The boy glanced off into the distance and pointed further down the path. "Isn't that Shirai-san down there? She looks pretty agitated."

Uiharu nodded. "She sounded very sleep deprived over the phone. I hope she's okay . . ."

"In that case . . . " The white boy began to dissolve into a fading blossom of oily white smoke. "I'll leave her to you today. See you later!"

"Bye!"

With a final wave to the now absent beetle-boy, the flower-wearing girl from Judgment turned and jogged down the path to where a certain teleporter paced like a caged beast. Uiharu flinched when a pair of twitching eyes locked onto her own.

"Uiharu! Today is a day for destiny!"

"Um . . . wha–"

The park was left in silence as a touch from the other girl sent them both into the higher dimensions. A slight displacement in the air the only trace of their passage.

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**Author Note:**

"_All of them."_

Sounds likely, doesn't it . . . ?

Our favorite white beetle is at it again. Always with the smooth talking.

These events precede Kakine's call to Hamazura and Kinuhata, followed by his scuffle with Aihana and meeting with "Six".

Updates to the other stories are being written. I'll see you there!


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